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Cheesy Chicken Noodle Soup

cheesy chicken noodle soup

Cozy, comforting and tasty, this Cheesy Chicken Noodle Soup is perfect for fall and winter nights. Whether you’re chilly, tired, or feeling a bit under the weather, a bowl of this soup will fix you right up!

Last night was the first night this fall that it has gotten cold enough on our mountain for frost. The leaf colors are fading now, and I’m pretty sure there are more of them on the lawn than on the trees. We sat down last night for dinner with the sound of the wind blowing, the last of those leaves raining down, and bowls of this soup and biscuits. It was one of those mental “aaahhh” moments that I love to share, and so I want to share this recipe with you. Maybe the next night you’re sitting at your table listening to the cold wind outside, it will be with a bowl of this soup to warm you up.

Cheesy Chicken Noodle Soup is a small twist on the classic, with the pieces of chicken, egg noodles, carrots, celery and onion that are required in any chicken noodle soup worth the name. We start with a rich chicken stock, herbs and seasoning for our soup broth, and then takes things one step further with a creamy cheddar cheese sauce that gets added the end for a slightly thicker, creamy, cheesy soup that will make you so happy!

cheese chicken noodle soup

Ingredient Notes

  • Vegetables – the classic mirepoix of carrots, celery and onions. Diced or chopped, nothing fancy here. You’re welcome of course to fine-tune the ratio for your tastes. If you like celery more than carrots, add more celery and drop the carrot amount down a bit. Love green beans in your chicken noodle soup? I don’t understand you, but go for it, it’s your soup!
dutch oven with spices and vegetables
  • Seasoning – Salt and pepper, thyme and marjoram are my lineup for this soup. Salt and pepper are to taste, and how much salt you’ll want will be influenced by how much salt is in your chicken stock. Taste first, and add salt in small doses. The herbs you use are all a matter of preference. I like the traditional taste of thyme and marjoram, but the choices are wide open. Italian seasoning blend makes a nice soup, as do dill, rosemary, even Herbes de Provence, all depending on what you like best.
  • Chicken Stock – Home-made or store-bought is fine. If you’re buying chicken broth or stock at the supermarket, try to get low sodium. You can always add more salt if you need to, but you can’t take it out!
  • Noodles – I like wide or extra wide egg noodles for soup, they stand up well to the chunky pieces of chicken and vegetable we use here. Other great choices might be bowties or rotini, or if you like a smaller pasta, ditalini or small shells, even orzo would make great soup.
  • Chicken – 2 cups of cooked chicken, cut up into bite-sized pieces. White meat, dark meat, left over rotisserie chicken, it’s all good.
  • Cheese – I like good old cheddar cheese in this soup. Lots of other good melting cheeses would do well here, Colby or Monterey Jack, but for me the flavor is a bit mild and can get drowned out. The one thing I ask is: grate the cheese yourself. I’m begging here. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-clumping agents like cellulose. That stuff is perfectly safe, but it interferes with how the cheese melts.

How to Make Cheesy Chicken Noodle Soup

  • Prep the vegetables. – Wash, peel and chop the carrots, celery and onions.
  • Get the soup base simmering. Place vegetables, seasoning and stock in a dutch oven, cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the temperature and simmer the soup for 15-20 minutes.
roux cooking for bechamel sauce
  • Make the cheese sauce. We’ll combine flour and butter to make a roux, and cook it for a minute or two to cook out the flour taste. Then slowly whisk in milk, and simmer until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. That is a Bechamel sauce! That’s it, you did a fancy French thing! Now we’ll do an even fancier French thing, and turn that Bechamel into a Mornay sauce. Take the saucepan off the heat, and slowly add small handfuls of shredded cheddar cheese. Whisk the sauce until the cheese melts and then add a bit more, until it is all melted in there.
shredded cheddar cheese in cream sauce
  • Add the noodles into the soup pot. Since you’re cooking these noodles in the soup broth and not a big pot of water, you’re working with much less liquid than normal. Make sure you push the noodles down into the broth so that they all cook evenly. Return the lid and cook for another 6-8 minutes, depending on your pasta type.
simmering chicken noodle soup
  • Finish and serve. Stir in the cheese sauce and cooked chicken, simmer until the chicken warms through. That shouldn’t take more than 3-4 minutes. Taste your soup, and adjust seasoning one last time. Garnish with chopped parsley, a bit of shredded cheddar, or (pro-move) crumbled bacon.

What to Serve with Cheesy Chicken Noodle Soup

And of course, dessert! After a meal this nostalgic and cozy, you almost have to follow up with a warm chocolate chip cookie!

If you like this recipe, you’re going to love my Country Style Chicken and Dumplings! Get the recipe here.

Cheesy Chicken Noodle Soup

Course: Chicken, Fall, Soups and Stews, WinterCuisine: American
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes

Cozy, comforting and tasty, this Cheesy Chicken Noodle Soup is perfect for fall and winter nights. Whether you’re chilly, tired, or feeling a bit under the weather, a bowl of this soup will fix you right up!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup carrot, peeled and diced

  • 1 cup celery, diced

  • 1/2 cup onion, diced

  • 4 cups chicken stock, low sodium

  • salt, to taste

  • 1/2 tsp ground pepper

  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme

  • 1/2 tsp dried marjoram

  • 8 ounces egg noodles or other short pasta

  • 4 tbsp butter

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 cups milk

  • 1 8-ounce block of cheddar cheese, shredded

  • 2 cups cooked chicken, in bite-sized pieces

Directions

  • Combine carrots, celery, onion, chicken stock, salt, pepper, thyme and marjoram in a stock pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil and then lower temp to simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes.
  • In a separate pot, melt butter and whisk in flour to form a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes to cook the flour taste out, whisking continuously to avoid scorching.
  • Slowly whisk in milk, making sure to avoid lumps. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and simmer until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  • Remove pot from heat and slowly whisk in small handfuls of shredded cheese, melting each handful completely before adding the next. Set aside.
  • Add egg noodles to simmering soup pot, making sure to submerge the noodles in the broth. Cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes.
  • Add chicken and cheese sauce to soup pot, simmer an additional 3-4 minutes to warm the chicken. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
  • Serve soup garnished with additional shredded cheddar cheese, parsley, or crumbled bacon.

I love to see what you’re cooking. Tag me at #jessiescozykitchen or @jessiescozykitchen on Facebook and Instagram!

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